


better than words (more than a feeling)

by petals



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Misunderstandings, Silly, Strangers to Lovers, Texting, Wrong number, implied gryles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-17
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-04-02 06:58:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4050589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petals/pseuds/petals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>im so sorry,</em> Niall sends back. Followed by, <em>mate got a new num, forgot it </em></p><p>He waits for the reply, because honestly, he sent this guy a picture of himself in the bath. In a green bath. The guy is probably laughing about it with his friends, Niall will probably become a meme on the Internet or something. Blond idiot in green water sending naked selfies to stranger meme. </p><p><em>i rly am sorry</em>, he sends, hoping that’ll be enough to keep the guy from spreading his picture. </p><p><em><strong>dnt worry bout it, cutie xx</strong></em> is the guy’s reply and Niall groans, dropping down on his bed face first. He can’t remember how to breathe. Honestly can’t remember.</p>
            </blockquote>





	better than words (more than a feeling)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [transstevebucky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/transstevebucky/gifts).



> This was really fun to write, so I hope it's fun to read. Hope you enjoy xx
> 
> Thank you to my lovely J for helping me with the beta and for being an amazing cheerleader, all remaining mistakes are my own. Don't know them, don't own them, and please don't put this on any other site!

Niall thinks that maybe if he gets a sign that he won’t do it, like a big flashing neon sign in the sky telling him not to go through with it that he would listen. The only problem with that is that it’s still daylight, the sun hanging high in the sky. So maybe a neon light wouldn’t work, but maybe a loud noise, something that feels like it vibrates straight through, straight to his core. That’d work.

A car horn blares outside of the window, someone hitting it wildly. And no, Niall thinks, that’s definitely not a sign.

He waits a few more minutes, staring down at Pig and waiting. The dog stares back at him, her tail wagging and tongue hanging out as she pants. She’s the only company Niall has, Niall having full responsibility for her until Harry and Nick get back.

“What do you think, Pig?” Niall asks. The only answer he gets is her jumping up, bounding out of the bathroom, nails clicking against the hardwood. “Right,” he says, nodding. That’s a sign. He can tell these sorts of things.

Niall sits down on the edge of the tub, leaning over the side to drop the stopper into the drain. He starts the water when he’s sure it won’t escape down the drain, checking to make sure it’s warm enough before he stands. He sheds his shirt first, and then tries to shimmy out of his pants as he hops across the room, going for one of Harry’s bath bombs.

He grabs the first one he can get his hands on, it’s circular and green, more sea foam green than anything else, Niall thinks.

There’s a brief moment where he wonders what to do with it, if he’s supposed to wait until the tub is full. But Niall thinks fuck it as he tosses it into the tub, like the old lady at the end ofTitanic, throwing her necklace into the ocean without a care. If she can do that Niall can put a bath bomb in the tub.

He stands there naked, watching as it fizzes in the water until completely dissolved.

Niall’s not even sure why he wants to do this, why he feels like he has to. Mostly he just wants to know what all the fuss is about, why Harry locks himself in the bathroom for hours on end just to enjoy a bath. Niall has always been a shower man himself, so the idea of bathing in colored water is a bit confusing to him.

But he thinks he finally gets it as he submerges himself in the water, leaning back against the side of the tub and breathing in. The air around the tub smells like citrus, crisp and clean. It engulfs him, almost setting him at ease immediately. And the color of the water adds an extra touch to it, the green calming as it wraps around his pale skin.

Harry might have had the right idea when he tried these.

Niall leans over the side of the tub, digging his phone out of his jean pocket so that he can take a picture and send it to Harry. He makes sure to get the water in it but not his cock, and then grins, holding one thumb in the air. He bites his lip as he tries to remember Harry’s new number. He hasn’t saved it in his phone yet and he doesn’t want to get out to find the piece of paper Harry wrote it down on. So he guesses, pressing in numbers that sound right and then throwing his phone back on the ground.

He’ll read Harry’s reply later, right now he wants to relax, wants to enjoy the citrus aroma of his green bath. 

>>>>

Niall’s halfway to his bedroom before he remembers to check his phone. He’s got a text, from the same number he texted earlier. He’s walking blindly, sliding the lock on his phone so the messages pop up.

Niall walks into the wall, stubbing his toe on the corner when he sees the response.

“Fucking shit,” Niall curses, hopping towards his room, his toe throbbing. “Fuck.”

The guy sent him a picture back, and he’s fucking ridiculously good-looking. Dark hair and dark eyes, crooked grin on his face, with this bone structure that makes Niall want to weep in appreciation, to thank whoever hand crafted that face. He’s lying in bed, Niall thinks, an orangey glow to the picture. Maybe it’s a filter, maybe it’s the light, Niall’s not sure. But the guy is hot. So fucking hot.

The message below reads, **_glad you liked it, sorry I’m not Harry xx_**

Niall swallows. He’s glad he’s not Harry too, because how awful would it be to think your roommate was this attractive, to want to jump through the phone just to see it all in person, to lick against the vein running down his neck.

It’d be awful.

 _im so sorry,_ Niall sends back. Followed by, _mate got a new num, forgot it_

He waits for the reply, because honestly, he sent this guy a picture of himself in the bath. In a green bath. The guy is probably laughing about it with his friends, Niall will probably become a meme on the Internet or something. Blond idiot in green water sending naked selfies to stranger meme.

 _i rly am sorry,_ he sends, hoping that’ll be enough to keep the guy from spreading his picture.

 ** _dnt worry bout it, cutie xx_** is the guy’s reply and Niall groans, dropping down on his bed face first. He can’t remember how to breathe. Honestly can’t remember.

Niall lifts his head out of the pillow and deletes the conversation; if it’s not in his phone then this never happened.

>>>>

Niall glares at Pig.

“So when you gave me that sign, telling me to take the bath, did you know what would happen?” He asks, his eyes narrowing as he watches her.

She doesn’t do anything, just prances in place, feet tapping against the floor impatiently.

“No, we’re not going on a walk until you tell me. Did you plan this?”

Pig whines, pawing at his leg.

“You realize I was naked in that picture, right?” Pig barks. “And you realize he was hot, right?”

Pig huffs, running towards the front door. She’s telling him conversation over and Niall thinks that maybe he can’t blame this whole thing on her, even if he’d like to. But he’s still going to talk to Nick about his dog. If he’s going to pay for all that training then he can do something to stop his dog from approving baths that lead to embarrassing situations.

So maybe it’s not Pig’s fault, maybe Niall can blame this whole thing on Nick. It’s an option, Niall thinks.

>>>>

A few days later Niall’s at the store, wanting to restock his pantry for the weekend. He’s planning on a weekend in the house, binge eating and drinking beer. And he’s not going to admit that he feels a little lost without Harry, a little lost without his best friend around to go out for the weekend, taking over the city. And by taking over he means getting ridiculously drunk and stumbling home, giggling and eating fajitas that Harry makes.

It’s going to be a long weekend without him and Niall wants to be prepared, but he’ll need Harry’s help with that. He pulls out his phone, opening up a message to Harry. He saved his number in his phone and this one, this number Niall is positive belongs to Harry.

_whats the name of that granola you got ?_

_the one with the chocolates and cherries_

Niall waits, moving down the aisle to see if he can find it himself. He’s not having any luck; all these packages look the same. All of them filled with oats and some kind of dried fruit but Niall wants the ones with chocolates, the one that makes him feel like he’s being healthy even when he’s probably not.

His phone vibrates in his hand and he glances down to see a picture of the stranger from earlier in the week, wearing a red sweater, grinning as he offers a peace sign.

**_aha still not Harry, cutie xx_ **

****

Fuck, Niall thinks, staring down at his phone. Fuck. This isn’t Harry’s number, obviously. Niall shoves his phone in his pocket and grabs a bag of granola off the shelf, rushing off towards the check out; worried the stranger might be able to find him. Feeling like he’s on some kind of hidden camera show, one that’s determined to ruin his life.

>>>>

**_‘m Zayn_ **

****

**_you find that granola ?_ **

****

**_it’s probably better with chocolate, yeah ?_ **

****

**_you gonna tell me your name, cutie ? xx_ **

****

Niall bites his lip as he stares at the messages, bags of groceries still sitting on his kitchen table, waiting for him to unload them. He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket as he walked home, but he was too scared to check. He knew it was the hot stranger, or Zayn now, since he’s given up his name. Niall’s cheeks are warm, a blush spreading across his face slowly. It’s moving down his neck, spreading like wild fire.

 _Niall,_ he sends, setting his phone down so he put the groceries away. He can hear his phone vibrate against the table. His skin itches to check it, but he takes his time, meticulously putting away every item that he bought. When he’s finished, though, he has nothing left to do, so he walks back to the table, sharing a look with Pig before he grabs the phone.

**_you havin a party or something w that granola then niall_ **

****

Niall snorts, shaking his head, who the hell has a party with granola? Niall would throw a bit…well, sober Niall would. Drunk Niall would probably eat the whole bowl, while Harry shoved some into his pockets for later.

_Not a party when it’s just me and the dog_

**_aha sure the dog will want some_ **

****

Niall looks down at Pig, an eyebrow raised. “Would you eat granola?” Pig huffs, dropping down to the floor and Niall takes that as a firm no.

_She says no_

**_ah well you mind askin her bout the green bath ?_ **

****

Niall’s not a coward per say, because he’s not afraid to answer. He’s just remembered that he forgot to take Pig for a walk; she has been trapped in the house all day. So when Niall sets his phone down and lets her out in the yard, leaning against the door frame and waiting, it’s definitely not because he needs a moment to breathe. It’s also not because he was hoping that the stranger, Zayn, would have forgotten about the bath. Or at least have forgotten about the selfie. Which, is totally stupid of him because Zayn obviously remembered Niall confusing him for Harry, and if he can remember that detail then he sure as hell remembers Niall naked and in a tub filled with green water.

It takes ten minutes for Pig to finish sniffing the grass before she’s ready to come back inside, trotting passed Niall and jumping on the couch, ready for a nap. Niall shakes his head at her, moving across the room to grab his phone.

Niall writes back, _it's a bath bomb thing_

**_A what ?_ **

****

_Idk theyre a thing my friend uses, makes the water change colors and smell nice_

**_Ah… so whtd that one smell like ?_ **

****

_Citrus_

**_Well next time u use one of em dont forget bout me ;)_ **

****

Niall licks his lips, setting his phone down carefully. He’s not—Zayn’s not flirting with him. He’s just… Well, maybe he’s flirting. Niall hopes he is.

>>>>

Niall decides to take another bath two days later. He’s bored. There’s no longer a game on TV, Pig’s fast asleep, tiny legs moving rapidly as she dreams, and there really is nothing to do. So that’s why he settled on a bath, not because he needs one or because he truly wants one, but because he’s bored. That’s all.

His phone chirps to life as he’s dropping the stopper in the drain. He starts the water and then checks it, breathing out when he realizes that it’s Harry. He’s been too afraid to try and guess his number, for fear of sending Zayn another text, or someone else for that matter, so it comes with a sigh of relief when he sees that it’s Harry.

**_Nick wants to know how Pig is doing_ **

Niall snorts, rolling his eyes. Nick’s probably been going crazy, wondering how his dog was doing. It’s not Niall’s fault, though. Harry shouldn’t have changed his number right before he left.

_she’s good ! took her t the park yesterday_

**_She loves the park!!!_ **

****

_yea, she had fun !_ Niall sends back, setting his phone down so he can rummage through the drawer Harry keeps his bath bombs. It’s not a thing, Niall using these; it’s just nice, is all. Niall just wants to enjoy his boredom in a nice atmosphere.

Niall settles on a blue one, tossing it into the tub and watching as it fizzles, dissolving and changing the color of the water. He sheds out of his clothing slowly, taking his time as the water continues to fill the basin. He grabs his phone and sets it down on the ground, for easy access in case he needs it.

As he settles into the bath he’s hit with a lemony floral smell, that really shouldn’t work together but it does, ever so subtle and it does just the right thing, setting him at ease. He’s still bored, it’s not like a bath is entertaining, but at least he’s doing something.

He moves for his phone, taking a quick picture of himself in the water and sending it to Harry. The right Harry.

His phone chimes not even a second later with a text that says, **_TOLD YOU!!!!!!!!!!_**

Niall laughs, shaking his head. He’s considering setting his phone down, but then he remembers the last text Zayn sent him, the one telling him not to forget him if he takes another bath. He thinks about it, biting down on his bottom lip because it’s been a few days since they’ve talked to each other and Niall doesn’t want to seem desperate, sending another selfie of himself in the bath.

But fuck it, he thinks, opening up his conversation with Zayn and sending him the same picture he sent Harry. He’s ready to throw his phone across the room, to act like he did no such thing, that he doesn’t what a bath is and he sure as hell doesn’t know who Zayn is when his phone chimes, Zayn replying faster than Niall’s brain had time to process what an appropriate reaction should be.

**_Ooohhhh whts that one smell like ?_ **

_like berries,_ is Niall’s answer, hoping that Zayn will understand. _Like if u blended them all_

**_yeah ?_ **

****

_yeah its good, i like it._

**_well thanks for sharing w me ! xx_ **

****

_you did ask,_ Niall reminds him, not wanting to seem like he was, you know, planning this or anything.

**_i remember cutie !_ **

****

**_might hve to try one of them_ **

****

_maybe i might share w u_

Niall presses send before he can stop himself. His thumb moving faster than his brain, which is not good, definitely not good because he just invited a stranger to join him in the bath. He shuts his phone off, tossing it towards his discarded clothing and submerges himself completely underwater. He can only imagine how uncomfortable he’s just made Zayn, and he doesn’t really want to deal with that. It’s going to ruin the mood of this bath, damn it.

>>>>

They go to the bar when Harry gets home, just the two of them. It’s Harry’s idea, wanting to spend time with Niall and to drink off the gross feeling that the airplane left on him. This is something that Niall can get behind whole heartedly, unlike the last time Harry and Nick went on a get away and Harry came back doing a juice cleanse. Niall was – and still is – totally against that plan.

Niall leans back against the wall, slowly nursing his beer as his eyes scan the crowd in front of him. Harry’s at the bar, grabbing them two more drinks. He said he wants to get properly drunk, so drunk that Niall has to carry him home. Niall would never carry him home, he’d wrap an arm around him and drag him back to their place, but he’d never carry him.

“Here, take this,” Harry says, stepping in next to him and handing Niall his third beer of the night. “God, I never thought I’d say this, but it feels nice to actually drink a beer instead of liquor, you know? Nick’s always making these fancy cocktails and I’m not sure my liver could handle another one.”

“But it can handle a beer?”

“Of course,” Harry confirms, grinning as he takes a drink. “Are you going to ask me about my trip? I’ve been home for hours and you haven’t asked me yet.”

“How was your trip?” Niall asks. He hadn’t asked before because he didn’t know that he needed to, he thought Harry would stumble into their door with Nick behind him, tell his boyfriend to grab his dog and get out. Obviously that’s not what Harry had planned.

“It was wonderful,” Harry sighs, a far away look in his eyes. “Nick rented a house, right, so like, it was just the two of us in this big giant house with our own pool that overlooked the ocean. It was so gorgeous.”

“How often did you leave the house?”

“We left everyday, asshole,” Harry says, shoving at Niall’s shoulder. “Nick wanted to go out at night, go to different restaurants and try different food. He has a friend there who owns a boat, so a couple times we just spent the day out at sea, sunbathing on the front of a boat. It was nice. And it was relaxing, but I’m happy to be home. Nick was getting annoying.”

“Yeah? How so?” Niall asks, swirling around the bit of alcohol left in his bottle, watching his friend closely.

“He missed Pig. He kept wanting to Skype or FaceTime, just so he could see the damn thing. And it didn’t help that you weren’t texting me. He was driving me crazy,” Harry cries, pouting at Niall.

“I forgot your number,” Niall tells him. “Who changes it right before they leave for a trip?”

Harry scoffs, turning his nose up as he takes a drink of his beer. Niall laughs, draining the rest of his before he steps forward, slipping it onto these girls’ table, hoping they won’t mind. They don’t say anything, so Niall shrugs, taking a sip of the one that Harry brought him a few moments ago.

For someone who claims that their boyfriend was driving them crazy, Harry has a funny way of showing it. He’s currently texting someone, someone whose name is saved as an aubergine emoji followed by an elephant, the water droplets, and the two pink hearts. Niall rolls his eyes, turning away from his friend to scan the crowd of the bar once more. There’s no one here that really piques his interest, makes him want to ask Harry for his wingman help.

And well, there’s no one interesting until his eyes land on Zayn. Niall nearly drops the bottle in his hand on the ground, choking on the liquid as he stares at him, because holy shit. That’s Zayn. Zayn, the guy he’s texted pictures of himself in the bath to. Zayn, the guy he’s never actually met before.

Shit.

He’s here.

Niall turns, staring at Harry with his eyes wide.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asks, frowning as he shoves his phone into his pocket. “What happened?”

“Okay. What I’m about to tell you is going to sound crazy, but you have to understand that it was an accident that sort of turned into a bunch of not-so-accidents.”

“Okay,” Harry says slowly, nodding. “What happened?”

“Right, so you know how I used your bath bombs?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, the first time I used one, I thought I was sending you a picture, or the number that I convinced myself was yours, but it wasn’t. It was this guy and I sent him a picture of myself in the bath,” Niall explains, releasing a deep breath. “And then I texted him again on accident about granola and then I texted him another picture of myself in the tub, but like, on purpose this time. And now he’s here.”

Harry blinks, staring at Niall. “You sent him nudes?”

“No.” Niall shakes his head, sighing. “You couldn’t see anything.”

“And he’s here?”

“Yeah, he’s over at the bar.”

“Which one?” Harry asks, craning to look over Niall, trying to find Zayn.

“The really pretty one with the black hair and strong jaw.

“The one wearing that red shirt?” Harry asks, eyes squinted and head lolled to the side. “He’s not that pretty.”

Niall shakes his head, because he definitely has the black hair and nice jaw but he’s not Zayn. No. “He’s the one in the leather jacket.”

“Oh,” Harry says, eyes going wide as he nods. “Yeah, he’s that pretty. Wow. And he wanted to see you in the tub?”

“Thanks,” Niall mumbles, taking a sip of his beer.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying, did he want that, to see you…kind of naked?”

Niall shrugs. “I mean, yeah. He asked me to remember him next time I took a bath.”

“Wow,” Harry breathes out, still staring at Zayn. “So you have to go talk to him?”

“I should?”

Harry snorts, rolling his eyes as he begins to fluff Niall’s hair, running his fingers through it and fixing it. He straightens Niall’s shirt and then takes the beer from him, nodding in satisfaction as he looks at him, from head to toe. “Right, now walk up to the bar and act like you’re getting us drinks, only don’t act, could you actually get us another round?”

Niall rolls his eyes. “Okay, and then what?”

“Talk to him. Or like, just kind of get in close to him and hope that he sees you because then he’ll have no choice but to say something, especially if he’s already requested to see you naked.”

Niall nods, taking a deep breath. He can do this. He can totally do this. But first he needs to finish his beer, for a bit of courage, that’s all.

>>>>

Niall’s close to Zayn, with only three people between them. He figures that he’s far enough away that Zayn will believe him when he says that he didn’t see him. He’s also close enough that Zayn has no choice but to see him if he looks this way. It’s a win-win situation, Niall thinks.

Niall gets the drinks from the bartender, sliding his money across the counter. He’s using his entire body to do it, throwing himself into his movements in an attempt to get Zayn’s attention. He’s being stupid, honestly. Zayn’s seen pictures of him in sparkly water; it’s not a big deal to finally say hi in person. It’s almost like they’ve gone to second base together already, maybe third. No, not third. There wasn’t any touching involved; it’d be silly to think they made it to third base.

But still.

It should be easy to just slide down two more people and stand next to Zayn, casually bump into him and try and act surprised when he turns to apologize and recognizes the other boy.

Actually, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Niall’s ready to do it, ready to act like Harry is on the complete opposite side of the bar, when some guy comes from out of nowhere and throws himself on Zayn’s back, his arms wrapping around his neck.

Zayn leans back into it, turning and smiling at the other boy. Niall watches them, watches their closeness and obvious chemistry. Whether it’s a friendship or a relationship Niall doesn’t know, but he does know that his stomach drops down to about his ankles, his heart sinking with it.

Niall turns on his heel, rushing back to Harry with two drinks in hand. He shoves through the crowd of people, unapologetic to everyone that he bumps into. He just wants to get away from the bar before he embarrasses himself, before Zayn has a chance to see him with his stupid, pretty, blue-eyed friend.

“Here,” Niall mutters, shoving the drink in Harry’s hand as he takes his place once more, leaning back against brick wall.

“I lost sight of you, what happened?” Harry asks, his eyes shining with curiosity.

“Nothing really,” Niall lies, shrugging. “We just said hi and that’s about it.”

“Oh,” Harry mumbles, shoulders sagging. “That’s kind of boring.”

“Yeah, but oh well,” Niall replies, bringing the beer bottle up to his lips. He doesn’t want to talk about it. He’s so annoyed and embarrassed and frustrated. If only things could play out in life like they do in his head, then it’d be him draped over Zayn’s back and not some pretty brunette.

>>>>

Niall is lying in bed later, unable to sleep at three in the morning when his phone vibrates on his nightstand, rattling into the glass of water that he set there before he climbed into bed. Niall’s hesitant to check and see who it is, scared that it’s Harry again, wanting to know if Niall thinks sheep count humans when they can’t sleep, or if Niall knew that he was probably smaller than a whale’s dick. He didn’t, but then again he doesn’t really care.

Eventually Niall sighs, reaching out blinding for his cell. His eyes ache under the harsh light, blindly unlocking it. When his eyes finally do adjust, they’re staring down at a picture of Zayn. He’s staring at the camera, face serious and facial hair wonderfully done with some kind of reptile on his shoulder.

 _haha wht is that??_ Niall asks, rolling over to lie on his back so that he can stare at his phone, waiting for Zayn to text back.

**_arnie ! aha_ **

****

Niall laughs, because who names their lizard thing Arnie? Better yet, who gives a reptile a human name anyway? It’s weird, but definitely endearing to know that about Zayn, that he spends his nights hanging out with a lizard reptile guy. Niall wonders if he talks to him, tells him about his day. He wonders if the creature knows about Zayn’s night at the bar.

Niall presses the send picture option, turning on his flash and takes a picture of himself with the blankets pulled up to his eyes. He sends it to Zayn without a caption, because how else is he supposed to reply to a text that just says Arnie?

**_pretty eyes bath boy xx_ **

****

Niall grins, shutting his phone off and closing his eyes.

>>>>

After the bar, Niall didn’t expect to see Zayn again. He hadn’t thought the opportunity would come up again. But he was wrong, of course he was.

Niall’s out shopping, needing to pick up a few new shirts since the dryer at their apartment building ate his. Of course by ate he means someone stole them, because isn’t that just how life works in an apartment? You have common areas and if you’re not sitting in it, staring at the dryer, waiting for the little timer to stop counting down, then your stuff is subject to anything. Someone moving it, someone dumping it on the ground, or someone stealing it, who knows. But it’s awful. Niall hates it.

He’s flipping through the shirts when someone steps in next to him, the smell of expensive cologne following him.

“You have any bath bombs in that bag?” The person asks and Niall blinks, turning up to look at whoever it is.

“What?” Niall asks, his eyes widening when he sees that it’s Zayn, the boy grinning at him crookedly, his tongue pressing up against the backs of his teeth.

“I said, you buying anymore bath bombs?” Zayn says, leaning against the clothing rack in this effortlessly cool way.

“No, just a pair of jeans,” Niall says, shrugging. But he wishes he did have some bath bombs, he’d throw them all in the fountain outside of the mall, strip out of his clothes and ask Zayn to join him, public indecency be damned. “My roommate buys them all, it’s kind of his specialty.”

“Right, I think I remember you mentioning that,” Zayn mumbles, scratching at the stubble on his jaw. “It’s crazy I ran into you, right? I was standing back there, just watching you for like five minutes, trying to figure out if it was you or not.”

“You were watching me?”

“Yeah,” Zayn says, shrugging. “Wanted to make sure it was you before I came over here and asked a stranger about his bath bombs.”

“Yeah, probably wouldn’t go over so well,” Niall jokes, biting back a grin. He refrains from telling Zayn that they could have seen each other before but that some guy with swoopy hair ruined it. “Might think you were a creep, especially if he saw you staring at him from the back of the store.”

“If he was as pretty as you I wouldn’t be able to stop staring, though, would I?”

Niall does laugh at that, almost giggling. “Was that supposed to be a line?”

“Yeah. How awful was it?”

“Pretty awful,” Niall tells him, nodding. “But not that bad, I think it did the trick.”

“Good,” Zayn mumbles, licking his lips as he looks at Niall. Niall squirms under his gaze, because it makes him want to fling himself onto Zayn, wrap himself around him and kiss him, knock over the clothing rack and do it on a bunch of over priced shirts. “Do you want to go do something?” Zayn asks, hopeful and nervous, biting down on his lip as he stares at Niall, his thumb hooked over his shoulder.

“I’m busy,” Niall tells him, biting down on his bottom lip. He doesn’t know why he rejects it, or why he lies. Maybe it’s the fear that Zayn won’t really like him now that they’re looking at each other face to face instead of through a phone screen, or maybe it’s because of the brunette that could very much be Zayn’s boyfriend. Yeah. Definitely boyfriend. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Zayn tells him, waving it off like it really isn’t a big deal that Niall just rejected him. But then again, maybe Zayn believes him; maybe he actually thinks Niall is telling the truth. God, that would just make Niall feel awful. “You’ll text me, though, yeah? I wanna see another one of those bath pictures.”

Niall nods, mouth hung open a bit as he watches Zayn wink before he turns to leave, waving at Niall over his shoulder.

>>>>

Niall throws himself on the couch dramatically, landing with a thud on top of Harry. Harry doesn’t say anything, just pulls his hands out from under Niall so that he can continue texting.

Niall sighs. Harry ignores him. Niall sighs again, shifting around. Harry ignores him. Niall mixes his sigh with a groan. Harry sets his phone down.

“What are you doing?” Harry asks, his tone amused as he shifts around, shoving Niall off of him, wedging him between the couch and his own body, staring down at him. “Is anything wrong or are you just being needy?”

“I ran into Zayn today,” Niall says and when Harry raises an eyebrow he adds, “the tub selfie guy.”

“Oh yeah, what happened?”

“I think I was wrong about that guy being his boyfriend. I think it might have just been a handsy friend,” Niall says, sighing. “I don’t know. He approached me today and he asked me, you know, if I would want to do something.”

“Did you say yes?”

“No, I said no.”

Harry rolls his eyes. “Why would you do that?”

“I don’t know,” Niall cries, pinching Harry’s nipple. He’s not sure why, other than it feels like the best thing to do at a time like this. “But he alluded to the fact that he would still like to do something with me, that he wants me to text him so we can set something up.”

Niall’s phone vibrates in his pocket and both he and Harry freeze, staring at each other.

“Do you think that’s him?” Niall asks and Harry shrugs, digging into Niall’s pocket for his phone.

“Huh,” Harry says, staring at the screen.

“What? What is it?”

Harry looks at it, shaking his head before he turns it around. It’s a picture of Zayn and some boy, a puppy-looking guy with a grin on his face. They’re standing close together, the other guy pressed against Zayn’s back for the picture.

“Oh good,” Niall mumbles, his voice laced with sarcasm.

“Is that the guy from the bar?”

“No, this is a different one,” Niall says, shaking his head. “He’s got two boyfriends. Oh god, what if they want me in their weird three people sex?”

“Well, you could do worse,” Harry mumbles, taking the phone back from Niall. “They’re both pretty hot.”

“He’s not allowed to know hot people. Not when he’s hot. Isn’t there like a law forbidding that or something?” Niall asks, using his arm to cover his eyes. “I’m going to be sick. Honestly. Why can’t I ever accidentally text a naked selfie to someone that’s single and not in some threesome relationship with two handsy hotties?”

“Send him one of us,” Harry tells him and Niall uncovers his eyes, glaring at his friend.

“What?”

“He sent you a picture with his hot friend, send him one with yours. It’s like karma. He’s trying to show off what he’s got, well, you’re going to show him something better. It’s only fair, really,” Harry reasons, opening up Niall’s camera roll to scroll through it, searching for a picture of them together. “I haven’t showered today, so we’re definitely not taking a new one. Although I think a picture of us on the couch together would be nice, don’t you?”

“If he is single, and he likes me, then I think a couch selfie would be a bit mean,” Niall reasons, watching as Harry stops on a picture of the two of them at a concert. The lighting is good, so Zayn won’t know that it was taken at night, or at least he shouldn’t. Their tongues are out, both of them having a little too much to drink during the opening act. “That’s good, send him that.”

Harry does, handing the phone back to Niall as they wait.

Zayn’s response is almost instant, a short text that reads, _aha nice !_

“That’s it?” Harry says, glaring. “That’s all he’s going to say about me?”

Niall shrugs, ready to type something back when his phone vibrates once more.

“There, that’s better,” Harry says.

_who is that ?_

**_That’s Harry_** , Niall tells him, listening as Harry snorts, muttering under his breath that Niall could have done better than that.

 _ahh the famous Harry_ is all that Zayn’s response says and Harry grins at that, practically preening.

>>>>

It’s been days since Niall last got a text from Zayn. It’s not like he’s expecting one, not like he’s sitting at his phone, staring at it and waiting. He’s not. He’s really not. But it’s just—well, he thought that maybe he’d get something from Zayn. The boy is known to take selfies and send them to Niall, but Niall hasn’t gotten a single one in the last few days.

The phone does work both ways, he knows, but it would just look desperate for Niall to text Zayn. It would look like he was trying too hard and that he…had a crush on him or something. Which is so ridiculous. It’s absurd. It’s so far from the truth that it’s laughable.

Or that’s what Niall would say if Harry mentioned anything.

The truth is, Niall does want a text from Zayn. A lot. He wants it so much. But he doesn’t know what to say, and truth be told, he’s not very good at starting a conversation with the other boy when he’s not naked and in the bathtub.

So naturally Niall starts a bath, dropping the stopper in the drain and waiting for it to fill. Harry’s supply of bath bombs is running low and Niall should probably help contribute when Harry replenishes it, but… He’ll worry about that later.

Niall settles on a yellow one that looks like a tennis ball, tossing it into the tub and watching as it fizzles out, changing the water as it dissolves. He sheds his clothing, stepping out of his pajamas before he gets in the water, sighing at the feeling of the warm water against his sleep deprived muscles.

Niall keeps it simple this time, sending a picture of his legs in the water – keeping his toes under the water – and sends it to Zayn.

It’s almost like Zayn was waiting for him to text, that’s how quickly his reply comes in. He’s not smiling in the image, just looking at the camera with half his body exposed, skin whited out from the flash. He looks good. Of course he does. How could he not?

**_look good bath boy x_ **

Niall breathes out at that. Good. Zayn wants to talk. That’s what Niall wants.

 _ur eyes look green,_ Niall types. It’s the safest thing to say, better than how he’d like to run his tongue along Zayn’s tattoos, starting with the lips at the center of his collarbones. They’re like an invitation, asking Niall to place his own right on top of them.

**_must b the flash_ **

****

**_so wht is this one like ?_ **

****

_smells like apples. and its glittery , gonna make my skin glow_

**_like that vampire ?_ **

****

Niall rolls his eyes. God, he hopes not. _nah, i hope not_

**_y r u taking a bath so late ?_ **

****

_couldn’t sleep. wanted someone t talk t_

It takes a minute for Zayn’s text to come in, long enough that Niall begins to panic, wondering if he said the wrong thing. He hadn’t meant to. He was just telling the truth, that’s all.

**_someone or me ?_ **

****

Niall takes a deep breath. Might as well continue with the truth, right?

_you_

****

**_you ever gonna ask me out then bath boy ?? xx_ **

****

Oh fuck, Niall thinks, staring down at his phone.

>>>>

Niall stares at himself in the reflection of the glass where the train schedule is. He looks okay, he thinks. A nice white shirt with thin black stripes, a tan jacket on top since Harry promised him that it was going to get chilly. Niall thinks it might be overkill, at this moment, but he’ll trust his best friend.

There’s a grumbling noise from down the tunnel and Niall knows that the train is coming. It’s one step closer to seeing Zayn. They’re supposed to meet at the Clark Street exit. It’s an aboveground stop, so Zayn told him to meet him on the street, right in front of the smoothie shop that’s there.

Niall steps onto the train, feeling sick with nerves. He’s never usually worried about meeting new people. People love him. He’s never had a problem fitting in with anyone before. But then there’s Zayn. Niall is terrified to meet him. He’s not sure if it has to do with the fact that before this, the only time Zayn’s really seen him is in the bath.

What if Zayn doesn’t recognize him with clothes on and when he’s not submerged in water? Well, they did see each other that time in the store, but it was so brief, maybe Zayn has no recollection of that moment. Maybe Zayn forgot about it.

For good measure, Niall pulls out his phone, taking a quick selfie and sending it to Zayn. At least now he’ll know what Niall’s wearing, if Niall has his back turned to him or something. Niall’s fairly sure that you can see the fear in his eyes, but whatever. It’s the best he can do when he’s trying to hold on.

**_leavin my place now !_ **

****

**_roommate had a crisis_ **

****

_does he still need u ? dont wanna take u away from ur friend in need_

**_nah, just hd a fight w his boyfriend_ **

****

**_rmbr the one in the pic the other week ? thats him !_ **

****

Niall smirks. Not Zayn’s boyfriend. That’s good. He likes that.

_im like 3 stops away so ill c u soon ?_

**_yh ! live bout 5 mins from there !_ **

>>>>

Niall’s staring in the window of the smoothie shop, staring at the window display of fake fruits arranged to look like trees. He assumes they’re fake, because the only way this whole arrangement could have been made was if they were glued together - and for a smoothie place, that’s just wasteful to use real fruit – when someone taps on his shoulder. He turns, eyes going wide when he sees that it’s Zayn.

He looks amazing, so much better in person. Cell phone pictures don’t do the boy justice, because in real life—Wow.

“Niall?”

“Yeah,” Niall breathes out, trying to get a grip on himself. He’s not going to embarrass himself by going heart eyes over an attractive guy – even if he is the most attractive guy ever. “Hi.”

Zayn smirks, nodding. “Hey. You look great, you know that?” He says and Niall can feel as his cheeks heat up, the heat of it spreading down the back of his neck.

“I was thinking the same thing about you, actually,” Niall admits, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He was worried, definitely worried for nothing. Niall’s happy that Zayn can remember him with clothes on and that he appeals to Zayn’s interested in person still. “So, do you have any idea where we’re going tonight?”

“That I do,” Zayn says, motioning with a finger in front of him, and then waving for Niall to walk with him. “I have the entire night planned.”

“All of it?”

“Every last minute.”

The first stop is a hotdog place and Niall raises an eyebrow as they walk in the door of a place called Wieners. Zayn laughs at the look on his face, placing a hand on the small of his back as he guides him towards the front.

“Trust me on this one, yeah?” Zayn says. “The have vegetarian options, if meats not your thing, but trust me. Best place to eat in town. I come here all the time.”

The inappropriate child in Niall wants to make a comment about how Zayn comes to wieners all the time, but that’d be such a turn off, so he bites his tongue, ordering a hot dog with all the fixings, copying Zayn’s order. It’s definitely not what he imagined, with peppers and onions and chili and cheese and so much. So many toppings, but it’s delicious, and Niall knows that he’s moaning around his hotdog like a proper foodie, making Zayn laugh hysterically next to him.

“So fucking good. I’ve never been here before,” Niall tells him, sighing as he takes a drink of his soda, needing to wash it all down. “God, so good.”

“I can tell you like it, if the noises you’re making are anything to go by,” Zayn laughs out, shaking his head and smiling fondly at Niall. “Is that how it sounds when you take your baths?”

Now it’s Niall’s turn to laugh, shaking his head. “Not unless I’m tired or sore and the water feels right, ya know? But usually no, I just sit there and enjoy it. Not much else to do.”

Zayn nods, swallowing the bite he took while Niall was talking. “So explain to me, because I don’t really understand. What’s the point of these baths? Why are they so exciting?”

“They’re colorful! And they smell good, sometimes there is even glitter.”

“You have an Edward Cullen fetish or something?”

“No. The glitter is only good in the water. It looks cool, but I don’t like it on me,” Niall explains. No one likes glitter on their body. Well, some people do, but not him. “I should have taken pics of the water and sent them to ya, then you’d have seen what I mean.”

“I saw the water, but I was paying more attention to something else,” Zayn says, biting into his hotdog. Bits of it pool at the corner of his mouth, right where the smile is forming. Niall wants to lick it off. “But besides the aroma, it doesn’t have any special qualities?”

“Besides making you think that you’re living the dream? No, I don’t think so.”

“Living the dream,” Zayn repeats, shaking his head. “Not sure I’ve ever heard someone refer to a bath like that before.” Niall merely shrugs at that, because Zayn’s never had a bath like the ones Niall has, so that’s probably his own fault for not understanding.

>>>>

“You saw me there?” Zayn cries out, nudging Niall with his elbow. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I thought you were on a date! That guy was with you and you were both touching each other. How was I supposed to know it was okay to say hi?”

Zayn laughs, face bunching up at Niall’s outrageous expression, because really, how was he supposed to know that they weren’t together when the other guy was hanging all over him?

“I’d never bring a date to a bar,” Zayn tells him, shaking his head like he’s ashamed of Niall. “I can’t even believe you would think that about me.”

“Well, you did continue to talk to someone after they sent you a naked selfie.”

“You were cute. I couldn’t stop myself,” Zayn says, winking. Niall’s cheeks flame up at that, his own skin betraying him as Zayn knocks their shoulders together, bumping into him as they walk.

Niall’s not sure where they’re going now, after spending nearly an hour in the restaurant – if Niall can call it that – talking and getting to know each other more. He’s learned that Zayn is a year older than him, working odds jobs. He has an art degree, but according to him, not many places looking for someone like him. Zayn doesn’t seem discouraged by it, though, Niall thinks. Niall also found out that Zayn has three sisters and he lives with his two best friends, Louis – the one from the bar – and Liam – the puppy looking one in the picture.

Niall’s learned enough about him to know that there is more to fall for than just his looks, which is really only the cherry on top of the massive sundae that is Zayn Malik. There are so many qualities to him, just from the past couple hours, that Niall finds himself adoring more and more, with every word that Zayn says.

There is still a tiny part of him; a little voice nipping at the back of his mind that tells him that there is no way Zayn is into him.

Niall’s doing his best to ignore it.

“You know what else you want to do tonight?” Zayn asks him, forcing Niall out of his trance. He turns to look at him, taking in the way Zayn is staring at him.

“I thought you had the whole night planned out? Was that all talk?”

“Oh no, I’ve got plans,” Zayn says, wetting his lips. “Just not sure how far you’re willing to take tonight, if I’m being honest.”

Niall almost trips over himself, his entire body faltering at that. Zayn catches him by the elbow, laughing when he sees the look on Niall’s face. He can only imagine, it’s probably a mixture of awe and horrified and wonder and did Zayn just imply that he wants to have sex with Niall?

“You can’t just say things like that,” Niall cries out, falling back into step with Zayn.

“Alright, then I won’t say them.”

“No, you can say them. But like, you have to give me some kind of warning. Build up to it, don’t just throw that out there. I could have hurt someone with that fall.”

“I didn’t let you fall.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Niall protests, because Zayn is missing the point, obviously. “Oh wait, can we go in there?” Niall asks, pointing towards the shop. It’s one of the places that he knows Harry goes to, the place he buys his bath bombs from.

Zayn nods, his hand still at Niall’s elbow as he guides him inside. It smells atrocious, too many scents colliding together and forming a heavily perfumed cloud above their heads. Even Zayn pulls a face at the smell, frowning at Niall as they move towards the back, where Niall can see the colored bombs.

“What are you getting?” Zayn asks, looking at a bar of soap made to look like a flower. “Huh, that’s kind of cool.”

“I just want to grab a few things for Harry,” Niall admits, shrugging when Zayn looks at him. “I’ve depleted his collection of fancy things to use in the bath, so I thought I’d buy him a few things.”

Zayn nods, eyes going back to the bars of soap in front of him while Niall shops. He’s not sure which of these Harry would like, if he’s being honest, and judging from the variety of baths that Niall has taken in the past couple weeks he figures that Harry doesn’t really care. So Niall grabs a few of them, figuring he can afford to buy about six of them, since this is kind of a gift and all. Well, kind of a gift, Niall makes no promises not to use a couple himself.

“Okay, I think I’ve got everything I need,” Niall says, clutching the bombs to his chest. “You need anything.”

Zayn turns to look at him before he glances back down at the bath bombs, smiling. “Yeah, think I’ll take,” He pauses, glancing around before he reaches down and grabs a pink one, “this one.”

“You finally going to try one of em out?”

Zayn shrugs. “Kind of.”

“Kind of?”

“Well, I’m not sure how to warn you of this, but I think I might have found us plans for the rest of the evening,” he says, waving the bath bomb in front of Niall’s face.

“Oh,” Niall mumbles, swallowing. Yeah. That’s more than okay with him, he thinks. Definitely. It’s probably in the top five on the list of things that Niall most certainly is fine with. “Okay.”

>>>>

Harry’s not at home when Niall and Zayn get back to the apartment. Niall’s not sure where he’s at – probably at Nick’s, if he had to guess. Niall’s relieved to find that out, letting Zayn inside with less tension in his shoulders. He motions for him to make himself comfortable while Niall moves to Harry’s room, leaving the paper bag with the bath bombs on Harry’s bed, so he’ll see them when he gets back.

Zayn’s looking at one of their framed pictures when Niall walks back into the room. He knows the exact one it is, the one of Niall on Harry’s back. He can’t remember exactly when it was taken; just that Harry loves it and wanted it out in the open.

“That Harry, right?” Zayn asks, setting it down and turning towards Niall. “The one you texted me with?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Just trying to put a face to the name. I thought it was him from the picture when you were talking about him earlier, but I didn’t want to interrupt you and ask.”

“Oh yeah, that’s him.”

“The bath bomb king,” Zayn jokes, grinning at Niall, his tongue poking at his teeth.

“That he is,” Niall agrees, rubbing his sweaty palms against his jeans. He has no idea why he’s so nervous, he’s attracted to Zayn, and if this was any other date, one that wasn’t preceded by a bunch of naked selfies, he would have no problems with bringing Zayn back to his place. He wouldn’t feel a drop of nerves, but he does now.

He must not be showing it because Zayn pulls the pink bath bomb out of his bag, setting the bag down on the table, and then says, “You ready to show me how these work?”

Niall nods, guiding him towards the bathroom. “We have to let the tub fill up a bit,” Niall tells him, starting the water. “We could probably throw it in sooner, but I’m not sure. I’ve never tried it.”

“Should we try it today?”

“No, I don’t want to mess anything up, just in case.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Zayn mumbles, setting the bomb down on the sink.

It takes a few minutes, but finally it’s ready, and Zayn looks almost giddy as he tosses it in the water, watching intently as the bomb begins to fizzle out, already beginning to turn the water pink.

“Fucking sick,” Zayn mumbles, nodding in approval. “Now what?”

“We get in,” Niall says, because that much should be obvious. Zayn nods at that, rubbing at his jaw thoughtfully for a moment. He shrugs at whatever it is he was thinking, grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it off. His chest is littered with tattoos. Niall’s seen a few of them from some of the pictures, but none of the lower portion of his abdomen, the heart and the words and the gun, the playing card on his ribs. He’s covered in tattoos. Niall kind of likes it.

“You ready?”

“Guess so,” Niall says, pulling of his own shirt.

They give each other some privacy as they undress, talking to each other through it. Niall’s not uncomfortable, not necessarily; he’s got nothing to be ashamed of, and neither does Zayn, from the glimpse Niall got when he crawled into the tub. Niall waits until he’s seated, hands moving around in the water, smiling down at it, before he shuts the water off. He’s not sure why Zayn chose to sit at that end, but whatever, Niall thinks, stepping in now. He lowers himself down slowly, trying to be mindful of Zayn’s body.

“It smells like flowers,” Zayn says, smiling at Niall. “Like, I feel like we’re in a garden. Or we could be, if I closed my eyes.”

“See, it’s great.”

“It’s interesting, that’s for sure.”

“Huh,” Niall mumbles, pulling his hand out of the water. There are tiny red hearts stuck to his skin and he looks at Zayn with an eyebrow raised. “Interesting choice, would think you planned this beforehand.”

“I had no idea they had surprises in them,” Zayn retorts, hands held in the air. “However, it adds a nice touch, right?”

Niall nods, dunking his hand back under water so he can rid it of the hearts. His foot is already cramping up a bit, with the way it’s flexed to accommodate Zayn’s leg in the tub. He has no idea why they thought this was a good idea. This tub is barely big enough for Niall, let alone the two of them.

“So what’s the point of this?” Zayn asks, fingers drumming against the ledge of the tub.

“I don’t know, it’s just nice. It’s supposed to be relaxing, remember?”

“But it’s probably better with company, right?”

“Much better,” Niall agrees. Besides the issue of space, Niall likes that Zayn’s here. It’s intimate and oddly sensual, in an awkward sort of way, knowing that their naked bodies are sharing a small space together. Niall just wishes they did have more room, he can feel Zayn fidgeting in the water, trying to get comfortable. “Cozy.”

Zayn snorts, shaking his head. “I have an idea,” he says, and without warning he stands, body on display for Niall. He tries not to look, tries to advert his eyes but Zayn is walking around in the tub and Niall has no idea why, until Zayn turns around, slowly submerging in the water. “I’m going to lean back, that good?”

“Yeah, that’s perfect.”

Zayn shifts a bit and then leans back, his back resting against Niall’s chest. He shifts around a bit more, until he’s half on Niall and half against the side of the tub, so he can face Niall. “This good?”

It actually is. Niall can stretch his legs out a bit more, relax his foot, and none of his limbs are fighting for space. It’s easier with Zayn’s legs resting between his. The only issue is that Niall’s dick is pressed against Zayn’s ass, and he hopes that his lower half doesn’t betray him at a time like this.

“So, you finally got me on a date, and now you have me in your bath, just like you wanted.”

“This was your idea, actually.”

“No, it was you, actually. You said you might have to share with me, you put the idea in my head,” Zayn corrects. “So now that you have me in your bath, what do you want to do next?”

Niall doesn’t really get a second to think about it, because like everything about their date, Zayn has it figured out. Niall doesn’t get a chance to think because Zayn’s wrapping his arm around the back of Niall’s neck, pulling him down and kissing him.

It sends a flutter deep in Niall’s stomach, Zayn’s hand sliding down to cup his jaw as they kiss.

Niall doesn’t know how, but he really hopes that they can find ways to make baths more interesting, because he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to top this one, at least not without Zayn.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You can find me on [tumblr](http://zaynlilo.tumblr.com), along with a [rebloggable post](http://zaynlilo.tumblr.com/post/123912668112/better-than-words-more-than-a-feeling-im-so) for the fic!


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